Garment supporting belt



june 8, 1948.v M LUI-TIG 2,442,855

GARMENT SUPPORTING BELT Filed vJuly 17, 1946 JH Wj ff Patented June 8, 1948 UNITED srA'res PATENT OFFICE-'- This invention relates to a trousers belt.

The main objects of this invention are to provide an improved form of expansible belt particularly adapted for use with trousers, to provide a belt of this kind having improved means for the attachment of a buckle to a trousers belt formed of non-stretchable material, which permits a relative yielding of the buckle and the non-stretchable material when the belt is subjected to special strains due to changing body movements; and to provide an improved buckle-attachment means of this Icharacter adapted to be so embodied within the belt as to constitute practically no alteration in the conventional form and appearance of the belt.

A preferred form of belt constructed in accordance with this invention is shown in the accom- Vpanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a belt bucklemounting means constructed in accordance with this invention;

Fig. 2 is a similar view with one ply of the belt removed so as to more clearly indicate the interior construction and attachment of the bucklemounting means;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged, transverse, cross-sectional detail taken on the line 3--3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the scored material which forms a casing for the elastic section by means of which the buckle is yieldingly connected to the belt;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view illustrating the manner of assembling the elastic section and the scored casing illustrated in Fig. 4; and

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional detail taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 2.

A belt constructed in accordance with this invention comprises a main section 1 and a secondary section 8 by means of which a buckle 9 is yieldingly secured to the main belt section 'I'.

The main section 'I is made up in the conventional manner from non-stretchable material. Preferably, this would be leather. For at least a portion of the length of the belt, this main section comprises outer and inner plies I 0 and Ii stitched together along their lateral edges, as clearly shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3. However, at one end the plies are not stitched transversely of the belt, thereby leaving said end open wherein is arranged the secondary section 8. The opposite end of the belt is tapered and punched to permit its insertion into and retention by the buckle 9 in the usual manner.

The secondary section 8 comprises a tongue I2I s claims. (o1. 2-322) 2 and an extensible part I3 whereby the buckle 9 is yieldingly secured t'o the main section l.

The tongue I2 at its outer end is of the same width as the main section l and is looped around the base of the buckle 9 so Vas to be anchored thereto.` The inner end of the tongue is reduced in Width so as to more readily shiftingly' t between the plies of the main section 'I without binding.

The extensible part I3 comprises an elastic strip I4 encased in a'protective casing I5. The elastic strip I4 is of the usual form of fabric with interwoven rubber strands.

'I'he casing l5 is preferably of thin leather. Before assemblywith the elastic I4 the covering element I5 is scored, as shown in Fig. 4, sojthat in subsequent association with the elastic strip I4 it will have the effect of being pleated. The casing is folded around and cemented to the elastic strip I4 while the elastic is stretched to the desired extent substantially as represented in Fig. 5. When the tension on the elastic is released after drying of the cement, the casing will become more or less gathered or pleated as represented in Fig. 6. Thus assembled, the section I3 is stitched at one end to the main section l, as shown at I6, and to the tongue part l2, as shown at I 'I.

A belt of this construction, worn in the usual manner will be acceptable in appearance as a belt of conventional structure. However, because of the yielding part I3 of the auxiliary section 8, body movements which in any way change the tension on the belt will result in contraction or elongation oi the elastic element and yielding of the buckle relative to the main section 'I of the belt to thereby maintain a more or less constant constricting effect and thus afford the wearer greater comfort than is the case with the conventional belt. A

In the described construction, the employment of wide but thin, at elastic textile material for the resilient element of the belt, permits the thickness of the belt in the zone of said resilient element, to be maintained at a minimum. Also, the encasing of the elastic material as described serves to prevent over-stretching and damaging of the elastic, and also topreserve the rubber material from deterioration by oxidation or the like whereby the effective life of the elastic, and the belt, is extended.

Variations and modiications in the details of structure and arrangement of the parts may be resorted to within the spirit and coverage of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A belt of the class described comprising a substantially inextensible strap having separable portions at one end, said portions being united along their longitudinal edges but unattached at the adjacent end of the strap, a flat elastic strip wholly interposed between said separable portions and the innermost end of said elastic strip being anchored to said strapx a tongue of substantially inextensible flexible material longitudinally movably disposed intermediate said separable portions and having one end attached to the outermost end of said elastic strip intermediate said separable portions, said tongue havinga portion projecting beyond the unattached end of said separable strap portions, and a buckle secured to -the projecting portion of said tongue. i 1

2. A belt of the class described comprising a substantially inextensible strap having separable portions at one end, said portions being united along their longitudinal edges but unattached at the adjacent end of the strap, a fiat elastic strip wholly interposed between said separable portions and the innermost end of' said elastic strip being anchored to said strap, a tongue of substantially inextensible material longitudinally movably disposed intermediate said separable portions and having one end attached to the outermost end of said elastic strip intermediate said separable portions, saidtongue having a portion projecting beyond the unattached ends of said separable strap portions, and a'buckle secured to the projecting portion of said tongue, the portion of said tongue -which is disposed intermediate said separable strap portions being narrower than the strap so as to be freely movable between said portions lengthwise of the strapand the projecting posed intermediate said separable portions and having one end attached to the outermost end of said elastic strip intermediate said separable portions, said tongue having a portion projecting beyond the unattached ends of said separable strap portions, and a buckle secured to the projecting portion of said tongue, the 4portion of said tongue which is disposed intermediate said separablev strap portions being narrower than the strap so as to be freely movable betweenl said portions lengthwise of the strap, and the projecting buckleengaging portion-being looped around a portion of the buckle an'd of a' width approximating the width of the strap.

MORRIS LUF'I'IG.

REFERENCES CITED The following referencesare of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,319,337 Heimann Oct. 21, 1919 1,612,978 Martin June 4, 1927 1,660,451 Linney Feb. 28, 1928 1,880,908 Duffy' Oct; 4, 1932 

